Conventional power supplies can be configured to implement an analog current sense circuit along with an external load-line resistor network. Based on an analog current sense and external load-line resistor, a controller can calculate a load line adjustment voltage. This load line adjustment voltage may be subtracted from a fixed reference voltage of the power supply to produce a final reference voltage in which to regulate the output voltage of the power supply.
Using load-line voltage adjustments as discussed above, when the output current of the power supply is relatively high, the load-line voltage adjustment value is relatively large, decreasing a magnitude of the output voltage by a relatively large amount. Conversely, when the output current of the power supply is relatively low, the load-line voltage adjustment value is relatively small, decreasing a magnitude of the output voltage by a relatively small amount. Accordingly, via so-called adaptive voltage positioning, a magnitude of the output voltage of the power supply can vary depending on whether the output voltage supplies a large or small amount of current to a respective load. These AVP adjustments can be used to help reduce a need for large output capacitors and/or filters.
Conventional power supply systems also can be configured to generate an output voltage based on received voltage setting information. For example, a power supply may receive a so-called VID (Voltage Identifier) value from a processor resource powered by the output voltage. In general, the VID specifies a magnitude of the output voltage to be generated by the power supply to power the processor load. Thus, the processor resource can specify a setting of the output voltage produced by the power supply to power the processor.
A magnitude of the VID value can vary over time. For example, the processor resource may request the power supply to generate the output voltage based on a first VID setting. Thereafter, due to a change in operating conditions, the processor may request the power supply to adjust the output voltage to a new VID setting. Thus, as operating conditions of the power supply change, the processor can provide notification of how to set the output voltage for the different conditions.